Heat diffuser, humidifier, and draft eliminator



Nov. 15, 1960 E. P. DORSEY 2,960,022

HEAT DIFFUSER, HUMIDIFIER, AND DRAFT ELIMINATOR Filed Feb. 20, 1958 ATTDRN EYS United States Patent-O HEAT DIFFUSER, HUMIDIFIER, AND DRAFTELIMINATQR Edward P. Dorsey, 308 Branford St., Hartford, Conn. FiledFeb. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 716,426

1 Claim. (Cl. 98-109) This invention relates to a device for diffusing,and humidifying air and for eliminating drafts in buildings.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which is adapted tobe arranged contiguous to an outlet or register which has hot airissuing therefrom, whereby the hot air coming from the register will besupplied with the proper amount of moisture or humidity, and wherein thehot or warm air will be diffused and directed in the proper direction sothat the air will be utilized with the maximum efiiciency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is in thenature of a member that is adapted to be arranged contiguous to a hotair outlet or register so that hot air issuing from the register willpass over a tray or pan of water whereby the hot air will be properlyhumidified, and wherein the hot air will then be directed to a pluralityof different directions so that an area such as an area in a room of ahome will be properly supplied with warm air containing the properamount of humidity or moisture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heat diffuser,humidifier and draft eliminator which is extremely simple andinexpensive to manufacture. Other objects and advantages will beapparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame.

Figure l is a top plan view of the heat diffuser, humidifier and drafteliminator of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the present invention, with partsbroken away and in section.

Figure 4 is a view showing a hot air outlet or register, and showing thedevice of the present invention in broken lines arranged contiguous tothe register.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating one of thestruck-out portions which define a hot air outlet opening.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral indicates a heatdiffuser, humidifier and draft eliminator of the present invention whichis adapted to be arranged adjacent an outlet or register 11, and theregister 11 is adapted to have hot air or warm air issue therefrom inthe usual manner. A handle piece 12 is provided for opening or closingthe register 11, and the numeral 13 indicates a baseboard which isarranged around the floor of a room such as a room in a home, in theusual manner.

The device 10 includes a body member 14 which is provided with aplurality of corrugations or undulations 15, Figures 1 and 2. The bodymember 14 is further provided with a plurality of struck-out portions 16that define openings 17 whereby the warm moist air can pass out throughthe openings 17 so that this air can be directed to various portions ofthe room being heated. The upper portion of the body member 14 isprovided with circular openings 18.

The device 10 further includes a pair of similar sup port members whichare each indicated generally by the numeral 19, and the pair of supportmembers 19 are arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to eachother. Each support member 19 includes a first vertically disposedportion 20 which is secured to the lower end of the body member 14 byany suitable manner as for example by means of securing elements 21.Each support member 19 further includes a horizontally disposed secondportion 22 which has a third vertically disposed portion 23 extendingupwardly therefrom. A fourth inclined portion 24 extends from the thirdportion 23-, and the fourth portion 24 terminates in a verticallydisposed fifth portion 25. The fifth portions 25 are secured to the bodymember 14 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of securingelements 26,

The numeral 27 indicates a tray or pan which is supported on theportions 22 of the support members 19, and the tray 27 has a quantity ofwater 28 therein. Thus, warm air from the register 11 will first passover the water 28 and then this air will pass upwardly along thecorrugations or undulations 15 and then this warm moist air will passout through the struck-out portions 16 and openings 17. it is to benoticed in Figure 2 that the struck-out portions 16 extend in differentdirections so that the warm moist air will be directed to a plurality ofdifferent directions whereby the room or other area will be efiicientlyheated or warmed.

The numeral 29 designates each of a pair of horizontally disposed barswhich are arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to eachother, and the bars 29 have fingers 30 on their ends which are securedasby welding to the side edges of the body member 14. A horizontallydisposed brace 31 extends between the portions 23 of the support members19 and is secured thereto as by welding. A transversely extending brace32 is positioned in the center of the pan 2'7 and is provided withtrapezoidal shaped flanges 3 3 that are secured by welding to the innersurface of the pan 27.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a devicewhich is adapted to be used as a heat diffuser, humidifier and drafteliminator. In use, the tray or pan Z7 is adapted to be filled withwater such as the water 28, and then the tray 27 is inserted into thedevice 10 so that the tray 27 occupies the position shown in thedrawings, namely the tray 27 rests on the portions 22 of the supportmembers 19. Then, the device 10 is adapted to be arranged adjacent a hotair register such as the register 11 and the device 10 is positioned sothat the hot air from the register 11 will first pass over the water 28'in the tray 27. This hot air will thus pick up some of the moisture fromthe water 28 and this hot air will pass upwardly along the corrugationsor undulations 15 in the body member 14, and this warm moist air willthen pass out through the struck-out portions 16 and openings 17. It isto be noted that the struck-out portions 16 extend in differentdirections, Figure 2, so that the warm moist air will be directed fromboth sides as well as downward from the device whereby the warm moistair will be directed into a plurality of different directions or pathsso that a room such as a room in a home will be heated or warmed by theair which is of the proper humidity.

The provision of the support members 19 which have the previousydescribed construction, serve to insure that the device will be properlystabilized and wherein the tray 27 will be supported in its properposition, and wherein the path of air will insure that maximum advantageis taken of the undulations as well as the location of the water 2.8.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapesor sizes.

' register.

and downward. present invention is especially suitable for use in homesheat diffuser, humidifier and draft eliminator 10 of the presentinvention will serve to eliminate the initial cold blast that blowsdirectly across the room each time that .the room thermostatic controlstarts the heating unit.

Thus, cool air that has gravitated into the heating ducts, is forced outbefore the warm dry air flows through the Furthermore, the warm air ishumidified as it flows over an ample supply of water. Also, this Warmhumidified air is then diffused to the right and left as well asdownward and upward and the curved surfaces aided by the indented portholes direct the warm air to the sides Convection carries it upward. The

which are equipped with forced air or circulating hot air type ofheating.

The present invention will help protect children playing on the floor,and it will protect persons sitting in range of the cold air blast andthe subsequent warm air flow.

It will protect both from the harmful drying effect of Warm air on thethroat and nasal passages and it will help lessen the number of familycolds.

The device of the present invention will humidify and then diffuse thehumidified warm air to the right and left and upward and downward so asto eliminate the direct blast from the register. The device is adaptedto be used with a register such as the register 11 shown in Figure 4 Thepan 27 is removable and the various parts can be secured together in anysuitable manner, as for example by means of rivets and soldering.Certain of the surfaces of the device may be enameled while othersurfaces can be left unfinished so that for example by using plainaluminium surfaces in certain parts of the device, the forced Warm airheat flow can be properly or efficiently reflected. The openings 18 mayserve as a means whereby some of the warm moist air can pass upwardlyinto the room.

I claim:

In a heat difiuser, humidifier and draft eliminator, an upright bodymember provided with a series of corrugations, said body member being ofa size to extend substantially across the full width and height of a hotair outlet, a plurality of struck-out portions on said body memberdefining air outlet openings, said struck-out portions extending indifferent directions with respect to each other, a pair of horizontallydisposed bars arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to eachother and said bars having their ends secured to the vertical side edgesof the body member, said bars being positioned rearwardly of said bodymember, a pair of support members arranged in spaced parallel relationwith respect to each other, said support members being arrangedrearwardly of the body member, each of said support members including afirst vertically disposed portion secured to the lower end of thebody'member, a horizontally disposed second portion extending from saidfirst portion, a vertically disposed third portion extending upwardlyfrom said second portion, an inclined fourth portion extending upwardlyfrom said third portion, a vertically disposed fifth portion extendingupwardly from said fourth portion, said fifth portion being secured tosaid body member, a horizontally disposed brace extending between thethird portions of said support members and secured thereto, a trayremovably supported on the second portions of said support member, saidtray having Water therein, said heat diffuser, humidifier and drafteliminator adapted to be located adjacent a hot air outlet whereby hotair from the outlet will be directed over the Water in the tray.

" References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,668,041 Bender May 1, 1928 1,668,042 Bender May 1, 1928 1,679,507Shalansky Aug. 7, 1928 1,686,871 Meek Oct. 9, 1928 1,729,119 Odean Sept.24, 1929

